atrium

Definition of atrium

1: the central room of a Roman house

2plural usually atriums

a: a rectangular open patio around which a house is built

b: a many-storied court in a building (such as a hotel) usually with a skylight

3
[ New Latin, from Latin ]: an anatomical cavity or passageespecially: the chamber or either of the chambers of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into the ventricle or ventricles — see heart illustration

Other Words from atrium

atrial\-​trē-​əl\adjective

Did You Know?

In an ancient Roman house, an atrium was an open central court that contained the impluvium, a basin where rainwater collected. It originally contained the hearth and functioned as the center of family life. The term later came to be used for the open front courtyard of a Christian basilica, where congregants collected before services. The atrium was revived in the 20th century in the form of glass-covered, greenery-filled multistory spaces sometimes found in shopping centers, office buildings, and large hotels.

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